Improvement



P. BATES, Jr.

Car-Starters.

N o. 135,193, I Patented Jan. 28. 1873.

"Eff,

UNITED STATES PETER BATES, JR., or PITTSBUEG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-STARTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,193, dated January 28, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that LAPETER BATES, Jr., of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Device for Starting Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the combination of draft-rods, levers, pawls, and ratchet-wheels with the axles and wheels of cars, the said combination of devices being for the purpose of aiding the team or draftpower in starting the cars.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to dcscribe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms part of my specification, Figure l is a top view of a car-truck and its running-gear provided with my combination of devicesfor aiding the team or draft-power in starting the cars. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same at line a: of Fig. l. Fig.3 represents one of the wheels, a section ot' its axle, and the lever, pawl, and ratchet-wheel.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents the frame of the car-truck. A represents the car-wheels, which are secured on and to the axle B, upon which are keyed ratchet-wheels C. On the axlesB are pivoted levers g and h, to which are pivoted the pawls D, which work in the teeth of the ratchet-wheels C. To the levers g are attached rods f, the other ends of which are connected with the cross-head l, to which is attached the draft-beam m. To the levers h are attached rods e, to which is `con nected the cross-head c', to which is secured a draft-beam, n. To the frame A are attached springs s, which are connected to the crossheads m and n, for drawing back the crossheads, draft-beams m n, rods e f, and levers g h. The draft-beams m and n are provided with a number of openings, k, for the couplingpins y. l

The arrangement of the several parts hereinbefore described and the relation they bear to each other are clearly shown in the accompanying drawing, and will be readily understood by the skillful mechanic.

I will therefore proceed to describe their operation, which is as follows: It the car is to move in the direction indicated by the arrow marked 1 (See Fig. 1) the draft-beam 'm is drawn out until the levers g and their pawls D are in the position shown in Fig. 3. The coupling-pin y is then placed in one of the openings 7c so as to hold them in this position. The team or draftpower, in this case, is attached to the draftbeam m. But if the car is to travel in the direction indicated by the arrow marked 2, then the draft-beam n is drawn out until the levers h and their pawls I) are in a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 3. They are thenY secured in that position by placing the l coupling-pin in one of the openings 7c in the draft-beam n. In this latter case the team or draft-power is attached to the draft-beam m. The levers, pawls, and ratchet-wheels next to the team or draft-power are always inoperative, while the same parts, connected to and with the hind axle are always operative. The draft of the team or other power drawing on the draft-beam, which draws on the rods connected with the levers, will assist, through the medium of the pawls D and ratchet (l, in rotating the hindmost axle and wheels, and thereby greatly assist in starting the car.

It will be observed that in' ascending grades, in case the team should cease drawing, the hind axle and wheels would be prevented from turning by the pawls D catching in the teeth of the ratchet-wheels C.

Having thus described my improvement, what I claim as of my invention is- The combination and arrangement of the axles B, ratchet-wheels C, pawls D, levers g h, rods c f, springs s, and draft-beams 'm n, all constructed, arranged, and operating with relation to each other as'hereinbefore described, and for the purpose set forth.

PETER BATES, JR.

Witnesses A. C. JoENsT oN, JAMES J. JOHNSTON. 

